Another boat ride

Another Travel Rule that I have written about here before is always take the boat trip. Well, I have to say that our recent boat ride really made us both reconsider this rule. Or maybe we've just done these things enough times. 

We thought it would be a nice respite from hot touring of temples to take a boat trip along a river that feeds into TonleSap lake near Siem Riep. Our hotel clerk recommended the trip which was to include a tour of a village showing how they process fish, and a little cruise on the lake. Nice, right? 

I suppose if someone had described it this way, we might not have been inclined to go:

"You will drive for 20 minutes in a small minivan that won't leave until all seats are filled, then you will drive for another20 minutes on a dusty, rutted ,red dirt road where the vegetation will be coated in red dust.  Then you will walk along that road to reach your rustic boat which will travel up a shallow muddy river."

But no one could have predicted that we would come upon a wedding party right in the middle of a rice paddy.

So, to the boats...

The shallow river water was the color of coffee with a lot of cream. The villagers that we would soon see do everything in this river, and I mean everything! Fish, bathe,drink, etc.

Our young captain piloted our boat through the maze of traffic quite skillfully. 

The kids were just going back in to school after recess.

During the rainy season, the river swells and the water rises to the height of these balconies, hence the stilts. This is the "fish processing": mats covered with drying miniature shrimp. Or the fish are pounded into a paste. Can you imagine the pungent smell? Pretty overpowering.

Then we came upon the wedding tent! 

The official portrait. And this little guy was happy to pose for us.

The women of the village were no doubt preparing the wedding feast. 

Then it was off to the floating restaurant for a snack before heading back. 

Our van was supposed to be waiting for us at the village, but he didn't get the memo, so we motored back the way we came, with a couple of mechanical problems and running aground as part of the adventure. 

After it was over, we thought " ordeal" and one of our travel mates said " it was short, but very worthwhile! " Each to their own...